Commodity trader Trafigura profits surge amid geopolitical tensions and fossil fuel volatility
Original framing: “Trafigura warns oil at ‘inflection point’ as Iran war stokes bumper half-year profits” — Financial Times
The pattern of energy speculation and profit from geopolitical conflict is not new. Similar dynamics were seen during the 1970s oil crisis and the 2008 financial crash. These historical parallels show how energy markets are manipulated by powerful actors to serve financial interests rather than public good.
The surge in Trafigura’s profits is not an isolated market event but a symptom of a larger system where energy speculation and geopolitical conflict are leveraged for financial gain.
This system is sustained by the exclusion of Indigenous and local voices, the manipulation of market narratives, and the failure to integrate scientific and historical insights into policy. By redirecting capital toward renewable energy and empowering marginalized communities, we can begin to dismantle the structures that profit from instability and environmental harm. The role of the trickster here is to expose the absurdity of profiting from war and climate crisis, urging a reimagining of energy markets that aligns with ecological and social justice.